Clijsters Withdraws From China Open; Nadal All Set For Thailand Open

US Open champion Kim Clijsters will not be playing for next month’s China Open due to a foot infection.

In a statement posted on her website, the Belgian explained she had her moles from the sole of her right foot removed and that there had been an infection. The 27-year-old apologized that she needed to cancel out China Open because of her condition.

Clijsters has been inactive since her US Open victory in September. She was scheduled to join a tournament in Beijing from October 2 to 10. The third-time US Open champion is hoping to join the WTA Championships to be held on Doha from October 25 to 31.

China Open will not be seeing world number one Serena Williams in action too since the star player is still recovering from a cut to her right foot she sustained in July.

In another news, world number one Rafael Nadal had a good Thailand Open start after he defeated Belgian Ruben Bemelmans, with a straightforward 6-1 6-4 win. The match was the Spaniard’s first since he won his career grand slam at the recent US Open. Meanwhile, German Benjamin Becker took Nadal’s compatriot Fernando Verdasco by surprise with his 6-4 6-4 victory.